Celeste

Celeste is ... like heaven. The level design is fantastic, artistically takes your breath away and playability is perfect. It's highly complicated, especially after the first round, but very satisfying. Celeste itself explains why "indie games" exist.

The frustration of dying for the thousandth time finds its counterweight in the gorgeously fluid ballet of a perfect run. With a wonderfully evocative soundtrack and a whole host of creative ideas and plenty of additional challenges beyond the main campaign, Celeste manages to cram in a whole lot of goodness without ever missing a step. Fans of tricky platformers will find much to love in the game's design, but it's also a perfect starting point for anyone new to the genre — perhaps even those actively averse to it. In short, it's a bit of a masterpiece.

Simply put, Celeste is a tour de force. A piece of work that will no doubt go down as one of the year’s best platformers or even just one of its best games in general. Between the immaculately crafted levels with a wide variety of challenges, the intense gameplay that rewards crackerjack timing, the sheer amount of post-game content and things to discover in every chapter, and a moving, amazing story in the form of Madeline’s urge to climb the behemoth that awaits her, what we have here is truly magnificent and an experience that simply cannot be missed. And hey, word has it that the view from the top is amazing.

Overall Celeste is a phenomenal game. While the game delivers on all fronts, the relatable story and soundtrack stand out as two of the most memorable aspects. The challenging platforming helps to keep the player motivated to push forward. The discussions between Madeline and side characters to the game help the world around you feel alive, and their guidance helps Madeline to continue pushing forward. Celeste is not a game for everyone. The difficulty alone is something to easily turn players away. To those who are looking for a challenging platformer with a rewarding story, Celeste is definitely a one of a kind diamond in the rough.

The greatest triumph of Celeste is that its best-in-class jumping and dashing is blended beautifully with an important and sincere story and an incredible soundtrack that make it a genuinely emotional game, even when your feet are planted firmly on the ground.

Developer Matt Makes Games’ previous release was TowerFall, the archery-themed four-player battle royale. With its single-player focus and touching narrative, Celeste might seem like an odd follow-up. However, like TowerFall, Celeste features polished and intense action that makes it easy to love and hard to put down.

The best indie platformer since Super Meat Boy, but also one of the best storytelling experiences of recent years – with an incisive and thoughtful portrayal of mental illness.

Celeste offers a bold and beautiful story that will touch anyone who can relate to its plot foundation. It’s a brilliantly designed and gorgeously presented experience throughout the entirety of play. Perhaps Celeste’s greatest achievement, however, is that it appeals to speedrunners, thrill seekers, and completionists alike. Furthermore, it doesn’t alienate genre newcomers thanks to how accessible it is.